


This Atmosphere We’ve Made

by ezekiels



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 08:21:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ezekiels/pseuds/ezekiels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin can’t believe that Arthur is making Elyan guard the northern battlements by himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Atmosphere We’ve Made

“It’s really unfair that you make Elyan guard the northern battlements by himself,” Merlin said, folding Arthur’s shirt.

“Is it now?” Arthur asked.

Merlin straightened and glared at Arthur. “Yes, it is.”

Glancing up from the papers he had been examining, Arthur said, “As riveting as this conversation is, I think you better be getting to mucking out the stalls, don’t you?”

***

Elyan’s shoulders sagged when, yet again, Arthur assigned him to guard the northern battlement on his own again. Merlin watched with a heavy heart. He wanted to tell Elyan that he understood but, surrounded by the other knights, he just didn’t have the courage –especially since Gwaine seemed convinced that Merlin liked Elyan a little bit more than he should.

When the meeting ended, Merlin was bright red and Gwaine had been coming to his last few suggestive hand gestures. Merlin fled the hall because Gwaine had really been going just a little bit over the top this time. Merlin was certain Elyan had actually seen –along with the rest of the knights and Arthur. Oh, he would never hear the end of this.

“Hey, Merlin!”

Merlin was so stunned at hearing Elyan call after him that he quite forgot he was coming to the end of the corridor. He walked face first into the wall there.

“Ow,” Merlin groaned.

“Merlin, are you okay?” Elyan asked, at Merlin’s side. He appeared to be holding back his laughter –badly.

“I’m fine,” Merlin said, desperately wanting to be alone so he could use a spell to make his nose straight again. As he began to shift down the corridor, however, Elyan followed.

“I don’t want to put you on the spot, Merlin, but I was just wondering… Does Arthur hate me?” Elyan asked.

“Probably,” Merlin said absently, poking at his broken nose.

He stumbled and, if Elyan wasn’t there to catch him, Merlin would have fallen down a flight of stairs. Elyan laughed. “Careful where you’re walking, Merlin,” he said.

“Yeah, that,” Merlin said, pocking at his nose.

Elyan grabbed his hand and put it firmly at his side. Merlin scowled at him and reached up with his other hand but Elyan pinned that one to his side as well. “It’s not that bad,” he said. “A crooked nose actually suits you.”

Merlin blushed because, now what he was paying attention, Elyan was dangerously close to him.

Elyan let go of Merlin and, still smiling, he said, “Well, I guess I better go guard that northern battlement.”

“I guess you better,” Merlin said. In his head, however, he was screaming, Get the hell away from me before I do something I regret!

“Come by if you like,” Elyan said, backing away.

“Okay,” Merlin said, already fleeing down the stairs.

***

“Merlin, why is your nose crooked?” Arthur asked, staring at Merlin rather than the papers covering the table.

Merlin folded down Arthur’s covers. “I walked into a wall.”

“You walk into walls all the time,” Arthur said. “Why do you suddenly have a crooked nose now?”

Merlin shrugged, smoothing down the covers of Arthur’s bed.

That was when Gwen appeared and Merlin left quickly without even bothering with goodbyes.

***

When Merlin found himself on the northern battlement, no one was more shocked than him. Not even Elyan who threw a sword at him. If Merlin hadn’t dropped to the ground as quickly as he did, he would have most definitely been dead.

As much as Merlin enjoyed not being dead, he didn’t much like the scrapes he now had on his palms. “Ow,” he groaned.

“Merlin? Is that you?” Elyan asked, coming closer.

Seeing that Merlin was, in fact, Merlin, Elyan hurried to his side. “I’m so sorry,” Elyan said. “Are you okay?”

Merlin looked at his scrapped hands in dismay for a moment before letting them drop to his side. “I’ve had worse,” he said.

Elyan took him by the elbow. “Come here,” he said.

Merlin let Elyan lead him further down the battlement until they reached a small mess of candles. Beside the candles was a small leather bag and as Merlin lowered himself to the ground, Elyan opened that bag. He produced an animal skin flask and uncapped it.

Elyan reached out and took Merlin by one wrist. Very gently, he began to pour the water from the canteen gently onto Merlin’s hands. It stung at first then dulled as Elyan began to talk.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” Elyan said.

Merlin was about to say it was because Gwen had appeared in Arthur’s chambers but he really wasn’t up to telling Elyan that. “Arthur gave me the night off,” Merlin said which was at least half-true. “I was walking and I sort of just ended up here.”

Elyan smiled. “I’m glad you did.”

Elyan leaned forward and pressed his lips to Merlin’s. Merlin’s eyes went wide in shock, staring at Elyan’s closed ones. Elyan’s lips were full and gentle, not asking Merlin for anything if he didn’t want to give it. The thing was, Merlin found he wanted to give. He parted his lips experimentally. Elyan reached up with his free hand and cradled Merlin’s face. Merlin’s eyes fluttered closed.

***

Gwen lay on top of the covers next to Arthur. Their hands were intertwined between them, making her feel like they were two children from a fairytale rather than the crowned prince of Camelot and a maidservant.

“I wonder if Merlin went to see Elyan tonight,” she mused.

Arthur sighed. “I hope so,” he said. “Honestly, there are just so many hints we can give.”


End file.
